Twenty-seven year old Dilpreet Singh Osan was raised on a typical Punjabi diet, starting his day with a breakfast of paranthas, curd and butter, and going on to other high calorie, masala packed meals throughout the day. His rich diet is one of the reasons why Dilpreet has always been on the heavier side, but the fact that he stopped playing sports once he got into college, and later work, also contributed to his weight gain. “When I exercise, I lose weight quickly, but once I stop, I gain it all back,” he says.

‘I wanted an app that would provide calorie counts for Indian foods and HealthifyMe was the most comprehensive one’

Things came to a head in January 2016, when Dilpreet was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spine. “At first, when I began experiencing lower back pain and stiffness in the morning, I ignored it. But when the pain became intense, I decided to see a doctor who diagnosed the irreversible condition,” says Dilpreet.

The only way for Dilpreet to manage his back problem was to exercise regularly and lose weight. Seeking expert advice, he began researching weight loss mobile apps that he could download on his phone. “I was looking for an app that would provide me with calorie counts for Indian foods and found HealthifyMe was the most comprehensive one,” he says. He enrolled for the 7-day free trial, and was highly impressed by the consultation he received by Senior Nutritionist, Ritu Chawla; triggering him to opt for HealthifyMe’s premium services that entail customised diet & workout routine that caters to an individual’s lifestyle, preferences and habits.

‘I swapped high calorie for high fiber foods and began cycling every morning’

At the onset of his fitness journey, Ritu asked Dilpreet to regularise his meal timings. “Before joining HealthifyMe, I had the habit of eating anything at any time. I never maintained the required amount of time between meals,” he says, adding that Ritu also asked him to cut out parathas, butter and other high calorie dishes that were staples at home. Instead, he was encouraged to eat more salads and other fiber-rich foods like bran roti, dalia and fruits, switch to healthier snacks like besanchila, oats, sprouts and murmura, and sip on green tea or black coffee instead of regular chai. His new diet was well received at home, where his mother runs the kitchen. “Some days, the whole family would eat what was being cooked for me,” says Dilpreet, adding, “My back pain was so unbearable that I was determined to make these lifestyle changes and get my health back on track.”

Changes included introducing a structured exercise routine, planned by HealthifyMe fitness trainer Munira. She started Dilpreet off with 20 km cycling sessions in the morning, followed by low impact exercises to strengthen his back. “People always say they can’t make time for exercise. But I’ve realised that if you really want to achieve something, you automatically make time for it,” he says. His biggest learning has been the importance of self-control. “For the first two months I followed Ritu’s diet to a T and never missed my morning exercise routine. It paid off,” claims Dilpreet, who has taken time off from work to study for a government exam.

The combination of a proper diet and exercise helped Dilpreet lose 12 kg over nine months. More importantly, his back pain has greatly reduced. “When I first began this routine, I would be down with back pain at least 2-3 times a week. But once I began exercising regularly, it’s now down to 3-4 days in a month,” he says. Ritu credits her client for staying on course through thick and thin. “When Dilpreet first came to us, he was very motivated and had the best intentions. All he needed was direction, which we gave him,” says Ritu, adding that his progress is a big inspiration for her other clients. “I always tell people never give up until you reach the finish line and Dilpreet really took that to heart,” she says.

Dilpreet is happy that people have complimented him on his weight loss and he recommends the app to anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps. “What I really like about HealthifyMe is how comprehensive their Indian food database is. None of the other apps I’ve tried using come close. Also, their coaches are extremely helpful and their group chats are a great motivator,” says Dilpreet, whose new goal is to take his weight down to under 70 kg – with HealthifyMe’s help!

Weight loss, eating healthy, or managing a medical condition gets a lot easier when you have expert help and guidance at each step. Speak to an health counsellor today!

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Disclaimer: The results can and may vary for you. Let us help determine the best approach for you to achieve your goal.

A sports lover, a quizzing enthusiast and an avid reader, but above all, a writer. Though he may have made the switch from engineering with the hope of becoming the Sachin Tendulkar of writing someday, Habil now realistically hopes to reach Shiv Sunder Das levels. While he hopes to write about sports one day, he is more than happy to help you improve your health along the way.

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At the heart of HealthifyMe’s platform is the World’s First & largest Indian Calorie Tracker, which allows users to track their food, exercise and weight, easily via their smartphone or computer while continuously analyzing the user’s data and provide powerful insights that ensure that users stay within their calorie/nutrition budgets.